Phaius potting advice ?

[EdinAZ]

I wonder if my Phaius tankerville would do well in a large cymbidium pot? I have some of those nice ones from Tindara that are about 7-8" square and maybe 15-16" deep.

Mine was outdoors for a few years, and grew BIG planted directly in the ground, but ultimately just couldn't take the Arizona heat and humidity (almost total lack of) so I brought it into the greenhouse. It's doing fine there, but doesn't grow or bloom quite as "heartily" as it did the first couple of years it was planted in the ground. If it wants more root space, the cymbidium pot should provide that. It's planted in pure garden soil and fertilized heavily while growing/looming. I lay off a bit after it's bloomed.

I'm interested in any experience with this or opinions.

Then . . . what about Calanthe's in those deep pots?

Thanks all.

Ed

[stonedragonfarms]

Ed: I have tried to grow mine in this manner, but have since moved back to large azalea pots. They grew great at first in the deep pots, but I managed to rot off the roots (I think the roots stayed too moist at the lower levels of the pots)--I might experiment with them in deeper pots again if I switched to a more open mix, but I too find that they do best in an organic media. I'd be curious to know if you encounter the same problems I did should you make the switch. I'm not too sure about the Calanthe--I usually see them grown in shallow bulb pots as for Pleione.
Adam

[EdinAZ]

Originally Posted by stonedragonfarms

Ed: I have tried to grow mine in this manner, but have since moved back to large azalea pots. They grew great at first in the deep pots, but I managed to rot off the roots (I think the roots stayed too moist at the lower levels of the pots)--I might experiment with them in deeper pots again if I switched to a more open mix, but I too find that they do best in an organic media. I'd be curious to know if you encounter the same problems I did should you make the switch. I'm not too sure about the Calanthe--I usually see them grown in shallow bulb pots as for Pleione.
Adam

Well, I only have one, so I'll have to decide which way to go. I really like them, so I may get a couple more to experiment with. I do have some good-sized Azalea pots and Bulb Pots, so maybe I'll go in that direction when I re-pot my current one and my Calanthe (it's in an Azalea pot now and doing fine).

You were the onl;y one who had any opinions on this, so . . . thanks Adam!

Ed

[stefpix]

I have a Phaius tankervilliae for maybe 2 /3 months in a clay 4 " pot with a mix of bark, perlite, organic soil and it is showing new growth.

they have a few at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. large clump in large clay pots.
it is hard to see what kind of soil as the rhizome / leaves seem to have taken over.